


Head and Heart

by Babyshark35



Category: Roswell New Mexico (TV 2019)
Genre: Emotional Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Road Trip, Trying to be friends
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-04-01
Updated: 2019-04-01
Packaged: 2019-12-30 06:57:57
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,131
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18310502
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Babyshark35/pseuds/Babyshark35
Summary: Michael, Alex and Kyle take a road trip to Caulfield prison. Things don’t turn out like any of them expected.





	Head and Heart

Michael was surprised, to say the least, after receiving a somewhat cryptic text message from Alex asking him to take a trip with him. It had only been a few days since Alex had abruptly left him in the bunker, after Michael had revealed his work on the console. 

Michael wasn’t sure what to think, what the trip was about or what it meant for them. As history would show, Michael could never say no to Alex and found himself sitting in his truck outside Alex’s cabin the following morning. He took a deep breath, muttered a quiet ‘fuck it’, got out and walked towards the door. Before he could knock, the door swung open and there stood Kyle Valenti. 

“Guerin. You’re late.”

“Valenti, what the hell? Where’s...”

Alex stepped out from behind Kyle, gave Kyle an annoyed look and pulled Kyle from the doorway so Michael could come inside. 

“Hey. Thanks for coming.” Alex said. Michael gave him a quick nod, before entering. 

Michael had never been to Alex’s cabin before and glanced around with curiosity until Alex motioned him to sit down. Michael sat on the couch and Alex came and sat down beside him, close enough that Michael could feel his nervous energy. Kyle walked over from the door and stood on the other side of the room, opposite the couch. Michael stiffened because obviously this was not a ‘them’ thing if Valenti was involved, so it must have something to do with Project Shepherd. Alex noticed Michael’s tension and also subtle disappointment.

“Kyle and I found some more information regarding Project Shepherd and a possible second bunker location at an abandoned prison in Caulfield. We were going to go check it out, but I thought that you should come. Full disclosure.”

“Road trip!” Kyle snarked. 

Michael shot him a glare before turning back to Alex. “I appreciate the inclusion. Thanks. What do you know?”

“Not much really. I decoded some letters Jim Valenti left for Kyle and one name came up, Caulfield. We found the prison and figured it was worth checking out.”

“We should get going if we want to make it back to Roswell tonight,” Kyle added. 

Michael and Alex both nodded and stood. 

“I’ll drive,” Alex said, “We can take my SUV. Michael you can navigate.” 

Kyle scoffed, “Uh huh,” before walking outside.

“I really don’t like that guy,” Michael grunted. 

Alex let out a small laugh. “This should be an interesting trip.” Then more seriously, “Sorry that I didn’t tell you he’d be here. I didn’t want to say too much over text. I hope you didn’t think...”

“It’s ok,” Michael interrupted. “I get it, friends right?”

Alex nodded. 

“Are you sure you are ok to drive, that’s not too much on your leg? I can drive and you can navigate. We don’t really know what we’re getting into at the prison, so you better rest it up.”

“You’re probably right. Thanks.” Alex gave Michael genuine smile that warmed Michael’s heart, before gesturing him outside. Alex followed and turned to lock up and heard the cabin door lock in place without the key. He looked at Michael who shrugged, feigning innocence. Alex laughed and handed Michael his keys. “That may come in handy today.”

The trip to Caulfield was awkward at best. Michael and Alex’s hands brushed a few times while both trying to adjust the radio and when Alex was showing Michael routes on the map. Kyle just snorted and rolled his eyes to Michael in the rearview mirror. Alex had pretty much learned to ignore Kyle’s annoying behavior, but Michael was not taking it as well. He would send a spiteful look to the backseat every time. 

It was early afternoon by the time they arrived to the prison. It was located several miles off an empty stretch of desert and they passed no cars on their way. Michael and Alex acknowledged this and were relieved that there would be one around to notice anything suspicious. Then there was Kyle, who looked at the creepy abandoned prison with hesitation. “No one around to hear us scream when we all get murdered.”

Michael shot him yet another glare, this one well deserved, before getting out of the SUV. Alex and Kyle followed suit. Alex had brought his military issued firearm with him, just in case. He holstered it at his hip. Kyle and Michael had no weapons, Michael really didn’t need one, but they all had flashlights. Alex had also brought a backpack with some tech gadgets and tools in case he needed to break into anything that Michael couldn’t. 

Michael walked up to the locked gate around the prison and made quick work of the padlock before motioning for Alex and Kyle to enter. He the same with the front door and they slowly entered the dark prison. Alex drew his gun and led the way in. Michael followed closely behind, as did Kyle. They worked their way down several hallways finding nothing out the ordinary, as if anything about this was ordinary. That was until they reached a utility closet with a high tech keypad. Finding it suspicious, Alex nodded to Michael to unlock it. Michael tried, but nothing. 

“Maybe it’s alien proof?” Alex suggested. “Not sure how though.”

Michael shrugged, “I have no idea.”

“Alex do you think you can crack it?” Kyle asked. 

“Let’s hope so.” He holstered his gun, bent down and started rooting through his backpack. 

Suddenly there was a loud creaking noise coming from the end of the hallway. They had not been down that way yet. All three men sucked in a quick breath and froze, listening for any more sound. Hearing nothing, Alex hesitated briefly before turning back to his pack. 

“I’m going to go check it out. Kyle stay here with Alex.”

“Guerin, I don’t think that’s a good idea.” Alex warned, a flicker of fear on his face. 

“It will be fine. Alien remember? I’ll be right back.” 

Alex nodded reluctantly and began to work on the keypad. Michael gave Kyle a stern look. Kyle seemed to understand the meaning of Michael’s look and nodded in agreement. ‘If anything happens, get Alex the hell out of here.’

Michael walked down the dark hallway cautiously, flashlight in hand. He reached the end where it bent to the right, looked briefly back at Kyle and Alex before pushing forward. He came across an open doorway and walked in. As he moved the flashlight across the darkness he realized he had walked into some sort of exam room. In the center there was a steel table with leather straps affixed to both ends. There was also a large pushcart with a tray full of rusty examination equipment, types of tools he’d never seen before, except in his nightmares. There were also large, dark stains on the floor, ‘blood,’ he thought. He froze at the site, unable to move. His breath quickened and he started taking deep gasping breaths and soon he began to feel as if the world was spinning around him. He jumped when he felt someone grab his arm and he swung around quickly, eyes wild and glassy. 

“Guerin? Are you ok?” Alex asked. Kyle behind him.

Michael stood there unblinking. Unable to focus on the voice in front of him. 

“Guerin can you hear me? It’s Alex.” Nothing. 

“Michael. Look at me,” Alex said more sternly. His first name pulled him out of his daze and his eyes calmed and he focused on Alex’s concerned face. 

“Alex...I...” Unable to finish, he turned back around and motioned at them to look. Alex and Kyle followed his gaze and moved their flashlights around the room. Alex audibly gasped when he saw the dried blood. 

Michael, stepping out further into the room, spoke quietly, just above a whisper, “Alex you asked me...why we...why I hadn’t told anyone about us sooner. This is why. For as long as I can remember, anytime I thought about someone finding out about us, this is what I saw when I closed my eyes. Except it would be Max or Isobel or me on that table.” 

Alex struggling to hold in his emotion at Michael’s admission, looked to Kyle. Kyle nodded and stepped back a few steps to give them a semblance of privacy, but did not leave. 

Alex walked to Michael and gently placed his hand on Michael’s shoulder, encouraging him to turn and look at him. Alex almost crumbled when he saw the pure terror on Michael’s face and the tears beginning to run down his cheeks. Alex gently brushed them away and pulled Michael into a hug. 

“I am never going to let that happen. Do you hear me? Never. You are not alone in this anymore. You got it?”

Michael nodded into Alex’s neck and returned his embrace, grabbing tightly to Alex. Once his breathing returned to normal, Michael released his hold. He wiped his face hastily before changing the subject. “Did you get the door open?”

Alex shook his head. “I haven’t been able to crack the code. It’s not so easy in the dark. I’ll need to run some data on my laptop and we’ll have to come back.” 

Michael took one last mournful look at the room before they walked out. He pulled the door shut and locked it. They then worked their way back out of the prison, Michael re-locking each door and the gate as they exited. 

“Alex, I’ll drive. I saw a motel back in town. We can grab some food and head there so you can work. No point of driving back to Roswell when we haven’t found anything. You and Guerin ride in the back.”

“Ok.” Alex made no attempt to argue with Kyle at his obvious attempt to give them some time together. Michael was basically emotionless at this point and climbed in the backseat without saying a word. 

Alex watched Michael the entire drive back into town. Michael rode with his head against the window, just staring out into the desert. Alex knew that Michael practically walking into his living nightmare was not something he was going to be able to shake off easily. Even though Alex had been the one to suggest the whole friends thing, when Michael had reached his hand across the seat to him, Alex did not hesitate to grab it. 

They got some food at a diner in town and then headed to the motel. Kyle offered to get his own room. He needed to make some calls about work anyways and he figured Michael and Alex probably needed the space. Alex agreed and got a room for himself and Michael. Even though it made him a bit nervous, Alex knew if Michael needed to open up, he probably wouldn’t do so with Kyle around. Michael still hadn’t really spoken since the prison. 

When they got to their room, Michael immediately went to one of the double beds, kicked off his boots, laid down and closed his eyes. His breathing never evened out, so Alex knew he wasn’t sleeping, but he let him be for now. Alex set up his laptop on the table in the room and began running some decoding programs. He had been working for a couple hours when he yawned. It had been a long day. 

“You know, you’d probably be more comfortable if you weren’t trying to sleep in all your clothes.” Alex suggested, only concern in his voice rather than innuendo. 

Michael nodded and stood up to remove his pants, jacket, and t-shirt. He then returned to the bed, crawled beneath the covers, turned on his side and closed his eyes. 

As soon as Michael was settled, Alex removed his clothes as well, pulled back the covers on the other bed, and sat down to remove his prosthetic. Alex paused and turned to look at the other man. He was torn between what his head was telling him was right and what his heart was urging him to do. 

A moment passed before Alex stood up, flipped off the light switch and walked to other side of Michael’s bed. Michael didn’t move or turn around as he felt the bed dip beside him. Alex removed his prosthetic and got under the covers. Before Michael could say anything, he felt Alex’s chest press up firmly against his back and Alex’s arms wrap around him. Michael let out a barely audible gasp, before grabbing at the arms encircling him. 

They laid there for several minutes before Michael whispered, “Thank you.”

Alex nodded into Michael’s back and placed a tender kiss to the base of his neck. He waited until he heard Michael’s breathing finally even out before Alex allowed himself to fall asleep.


End file.
